Very different Good Friday sermon

Friday’s sermon is still in my head and my heart. The part that stuck with me is (I’m paraphrasing)

When Pontus Pilate asked the crowd who should be released Barabbas or Jesus? And the crowd yelled for Barabbas to be released and for Jesus to be crucified, Jesus stood there silently listening to the people call for his death while they called for Barabbas to be released.

Then to watch Barabbas walk away free, as He stood there preparing to die for me, I thought to myself “I am Barabbas, I deserve the punishment, yet Jesus has watched me walk away from my deserved punishment and He gladly took it for me

Kind of personalized it in a deeper way to me

Amen!


Honestly, I never thought of it that way, but you are exactly right. Thank you for sharing that. We are blessed way beyond what we deserve.


Praise GOD. Jesus Christ is risen.



Charlie

I remember when the Lord convinced me of my sin one morning many years ago. An odd peace came over me as I realized I deserved (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) and that God was just in sending me there. I knew I deserved it and couldn't argue with the verdict.

Just when I was about to give up all hope a verse popped off the page...a bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench.

You know I never looked at it that way before

I try to remember that when something seems "unfair" to me...

the ULTIMATE unfairness was that Jesus was tortured and died a horrible, painful, slow death when he was COMPLETELY innocent.

and I caused it.

What struck me in an Easter sermon was that the ones who first believed the witnesses to the resurrection were the ones who had Jesus crucified. They said we need to cover this up, pay the soldiers to say what we want them to, and keep them from punishment for letting this happen. They never questioned that the tomb was empty, like the disciples who did not believe the woman who saw Jesus alive.